EFL Summer Conference Recap – 2017

The EFL held it’s annual summer conference on Friday and here’s a round up of the topics discussed on the day.

With a number of issues coming up across the year such as the Owners’ and Directors’ Test, pitch incursions and the issues surrounding full strength sides with Huddersfield Town’s decision to rotate their side ahead of the Play Off games, going in order of the list on the efl.com.

The Owners’ and Directors’ Test:

With the EFL committing to consider further the relationship between club owners and supporters following a number of issues being raised throughout the 2016/17 campaign, the EFL and member clubs have agreed to have a detailed look at the provisions in the regulations during next season to determine if they remain appropriate both prior to a purchase and once an owner is in control.

Member clubs will have an opportunity to consider additional measures.

At the AGM though, clubs did vote through a number of amendments to the current regulations:

Ensure that any applicant under the Test becomes bound by the regulations upon completion of a declaration.

Clarify that provision of false information in a declaration can of itself constitute a disqualifying condition under the Test.

Extend the disqualifying condition concerning the commission of a criminal offence within this country to anyone who has engaged in similar conduct overseas, whether or not it has resulted in a conviction.

Pitch Incursions:

With a number of pitch invasions across last season, both for protest purposes but also simple end of season celebrations, the EFL has said it will work with clubs and their safety teams to ensure practical measures are in place for 2017/18 to keep fans off the pitch.

Full Strength Sides:

The lack of clarity in the requirement to play full strength sides will see the EFL biuld a working policy providing greater information on what full strength means in practice to avoid any reputational damage to the competition.

The EFL stated.

‘A significant number of clubs supported preliminary proposals that would require managers to include a yet to be defined number of outfield players who featured on the team sheet in the previous game. This requirement would take effect from the fourth Thursday in March to the conclusion of the season and discussions also included a provision that any club could make a claim for exceptional circumstances and any charge of non-compliance would be referred to a Football Disciplinary Commission (FDC). The EFL was tasked with formulating a formal proposal for clubs to consider in September.’

Stadium Criteria:

Having agreed to a review of minimum stadium criteria during the season or 2017/18, they confirmed that would continue to go ahead to ensure requirements are current and still appropriate and areas under consideration will include groundshare (in relation to the protection of playing surfaces) arrangements, artificial pitches, safe standing, accessibility and broadcast facilities.

Views of member clubs will be sought throughout the campaign.

Laws of the Game:

On a rule front, clubs were asked for views on whether they felt there was an ‘appetite’ for five substitutions during a game.

At the recent International Football Association Board (IFAB) AGM, they agreed that non top-tier competitions could have more flexibility to make modifications to organisational areas of the Laws of the Game. In this case, potentially increasing the number of substitutes used on a match day.

Member clubs have been asked to consider the idea ahead of the meeting in September.

Amendments to the EFL’s Articles and Regulations were also formally adopted. These applied to areas such as ticket pricing, kick-off times, loan transfers and player registrations.

The changes will now be implemented ahead of the 2017/18 campaign.

Finally, it was also agreed that the EFL would not take up the television option with with Sky Sports to extend the current deal through until the end of the 2019/20 campaign.

The current deal has two years left to run but the EFL and clubs agreed not to extend that option and instead press ahead with a tender for a new deal following an evaluation by broadcast advisors Oliver & Ohlbaum in partnership with media rights expert Phil Lines.

Having been appointed earlier in the year to come up with a broadcast strategy to increase the return for all 72 League clubs, the tender will go to market no later than the week beginning June 19, 2017.